DevOps: A Cultural Change, Not a Technical Revolution

DevOps is often framed as a technical solution: continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) pipelines, automated testing, and infrastructure as code. But the technology would be pointless without the necessary cultural changes.

When working as separate functions, Devs, QA and Ops prioritised different goals. Devs want speed, QA can consistency and Ops want stability. These goals conflicted and each team's success often came at the expense of others. Instead of looking at individual goals, teams need to look at the performance of the whole system. This results in each function needing to change how they work.

The technical aspects of DevOps help to speed up the path to production but implementing these tools without the corresponding cultural transformation would be like installing a high-performance engine in a car with square wheels. I dive into more detail in my article below in this week’s updates.

This Week’s Updates

Enabling the Team

Reducing Power Gradients by Jade Garrat
Reducing power gradients within teams can lead to better communication, collaboration, and ultimately a more inclusive and effective work environment.

When You’re Overloaded—And Delegating Isn’t An Option by Jordan Stark and Frans van Loef
When facing overload, it’s crucial to manage priorities and expectations. 3 Strategies for handling more work effectively: make sure your team really understands what “good enough” looks like, identify and eliminate hidden low-value tasks, strategically reduce your availability.

Product Direction

Why Is Product So Hard? by Itamar Gilad
Address these 3 core product challenges that every product company has to tackle; misaligned goals, inefficient communication between teams and culture.

Finding Harmony Between Design, Research, And The Bottom Line by Devin Harold & Stevie Vanderwiel
Balancing innovation with business goals depends on aligning research and design around shared outcomes. When teams build credibility and translate insights into impact, they influence decisions that benefit both users and the bottom line. [Sponsored Content]

Continuous Research

Research Debt - The Hidden Costs Of Unvalidated Assumptions by Maryam Oseni
Unvalidated assumptions can lead to poor decision-making, higher costs, and inefficiencies in product development. Continuous research prevents these hidden costs and improve overall product quality.

H Is For Human And How (Not) To Evaluate Qualitative Research In HCI by Andy Crabtree
Challenge the traditional evaluation methods for qualitative research in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). Go into criteria for more effective evaluation, leading into a more interpretive approach.

Continuous Design

Human-Centered AI: 5 Key Frameworks For UX Designers by Rob Chappell
Explore five frameworks for incorporating AI into UX design, focusing on user needs and structured AI initiatives. It highlights models from IBM, Google, Microsoft, and Carnegie Mellon University, providing actionable strategies for human-centered AI.

UX Is Easy, But We Made It Complicated by Kike Peña
Balancing thorough analysis with timely decision-making avoids unnecessary complexity. Kike suggests that designers should focus on practical solutions and maintain flexibility to effectively address user needs.

Continuous Development

Devops: A Cultural Change, Not A Technical Revolution by Rory Madden
Success depends on breaking down silos, aligning goals, and fostering collaboration across diverse disciplines. DevOps teaches us that technical tools and processes are only part of the equation.

AI's Effects On Programming Jobs by Laurie Voss
AI is reshaping the role of developers, offering both opportunities and challenges. It’s shifting the skills needed, focusing more on problem-solving and higher-level design rather than repetitive coding tasks.

Happy 10 Years Of UXDX EMEA!
Shoutout to our sponsors for EMEA 2025 in Berlin!

We’re thrilled to have Marvin, Airtable, Ethnio, Optimal, Motiff, Lokalise, and Maze supporting us for this event. Their commitment to innovation in UX, product, and design is what makes this event possible.

These companies are driving real change in the industry, and we’re excited to have them as part of UXDX EMEA 2025. Thank you to our sponsors for helping make UXDX EMEA 2025 an event to remember!

FREE COMMUNITY EVENTS 

Check out more upcoming community events 

Video of the Week
Boost Product Team Efficiency by applying research techniques
to Developer Experience/Productivity

Join Max Griffiths, Head of Engineering Platforms at ThoughtWorks, and Harri Thomas, Head of Growth at Great Question, as they discuss how the principles of developer productivity can be extended across UX, design, and product management. They share practical methods to enhance team-wide efficiency, reduce rework, and align efforts for better product outcomes. Don't miss out on these valuable insights in the video below:

The Results of Last Week’s Poll

The question: Have you ever avoided making a change that you believed was worthwhile due to the hassle of the change control process?

Last week’s poll revealed that 60% of respondents have avoided making a worthwhile change due to the hassle of their change control process. That’s a clear signal that even valuable improvements are being left on the table because of internal friction.

Meanwhile, around 25% said the change was worth the hassle, showing a willingness to push through, while 15% reported no formal change control process at all. These results highlight a tension between governance and agility. Without the right balance, innovation stalls.

If your team is wrestling with red tape or slow feedback loops, ourContinues Development course dives into practical ways to streamline delivery while maintaining control.

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